as in fatness
the condition of having an excess of body fat
obesity has been linked to a number of health risks, such as heart disease
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Recent Examples of obesity
Novo was first to market with a GLP-1 for obesity in January, branded as the Wegovy pill, and it's been a rare bright spot for the Danish drugmaker.
—
Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
People know that obesity and cardiovascular disease are serious health problems.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Risk factors at any age include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, smoking, heavy alcohol use, having inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colorectal cancer.
—Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Take the quiz here … COURSE CORRECTION — Food pyramid backlash: Low-fat era may have fueled obesity, diabetes, Dr. Hyman says.
—FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obesity
Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
People know that obesity and cardiovascular disease are serious health problems.
—Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Risk factors at any age include obesity, lack of physical activity, a diet high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables, smoking, heavy alcohol use, having inflammatory bowel disease or a family history of colorectal cancer.
—Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Take the quiz here … COURSE CORRECTION — Food pyramid backlash: Low-fat era may have fueled obesity, diabetes, Dr. Hyman says.
—FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obesity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obesity
Noun
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Buttermilk made from whole-fat milk has a creamier consistency than buttermilk made from skim milk.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
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The condition is caused by the buildup of plaque — meaning fats, cholesterol and other substances — in and on the artery walls, which can lead to events such as heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hydrogen fuel cells provide a much higher energy density than heavy lithium batteries, reducing weight while remaining far more durable and lower-maintenance than complex gasoline engines.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
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Semaglutide, the weight-loss and diabetes drug better known as Ozempic and Wegovy, will soon be available in generic form for 40% of the world’s population.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Breastfeeding, adiposity, and precocious puberty in boys and girls.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Kajumba was a laconic man, rail‑thin, with the type of largish head that suggested nature had intended him for corpulence, even as circumstance had conspired to keep him slender.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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As president, George H.W. Bush compared his dog, Ranger, to a blimp in a playful memo to White House staff noting a need to curb doggie treats because of canine corpulence.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obesity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obesity. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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